Richard Bachman signed a three-year entry level contract with the NHL’s Dallas Stars this weekend. Bachman played for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the 2006-07 season, then went on to play two stellar seasons at Colorado College.

Bachman is the second former Rider to sign a pro deal this week. Defenseman Zach Miskovic signed with the Washington Capitals earlier in the week.

Here’s the press release from the Stars:

FRISCO, Tex. – The Dallas Stars announced today that the club has signed goaltender Richard Bachman to a three-year entry-level contract. Bachman recently wrapped up a two-year career at Colorado College, and will forego his final two seasons of eligibility with the Tigers. Richard Bachman “Richard had an outstanding, highly-decorated career at Colorado College, and he’s ready to take the next step into the professional ranks,” said Dallas Stars Co-General Manager Les Jackson. “He has an outstanding set of fundamentals and a very bright future ahead of him, and we look forward to his continued development in our organization.” Bachman, 21, appeared in 35 games for Colorado College as a sophomore in 2008-09, posting a 14-11-10 record with a .914 save percentage, a 2.63 goals-against-average and three shutouts. As a freshman in 2007-08, the Salt Lake City native was named the National Rookie of the Year by the HCA (Hockey Commissioner’s Association) and Inside College Hockey magazine, and became just the second player ever to be named WCHA Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year in the same season. The 5-11, 170-pound goaltender also earned First Team West All-America and First Team All-WCHA honors, and was named to College Hockey News’ All-Rookie Team. Originally selected by Dallas in the fourth round (No. 120 overall) in the 2006 Entry Draft, Bachman backstopped CC to the WCHA title in 2007-08, shattering school records with a 1.85 goals-against-average and .931 save percentage, both of which ranked third in the nation. He posted a stellar 25-9-1 record with four shutouts, and allowed two-or-fewer goals in 25 of his 35 starts as a freshman.

Former Cedar Rapids RoughRiders defenseman Zach Miskovic has signed a one-year entry level contract with the NHL’s Washington Capitals, it was announced Thursday. The contract is for the 2009-10 season.

Miskovic was a first-team ECAC Hockey defenseman this season and is considered an all-American candidate. He played 154 career games for St. Lawrence University in upstate New York, not missing any. This season, his senior season, he had 17 goals and 26 points in 39 games. The 17 goals led NCAA Division I rearguards.

Miskovic is a River Forest, Ill., native. He played for Cedar Rapids for three seasons, from 2002 through 2005. His contract with Washington doesn’t begin until next season, though he will join the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears for the rest of this season on a amateur tryout contract.

“Nothing Misky has done has surprised me,” said RoughRiders head coach/general Mark Carlson. “Other people might be surprised, but I’m not.”

Just came across an online story about the Omaha Lancers of the USHL moving back to Omaha’s Municipal Auditorium next season. The team had been playing in a new arena across the Missouri River in Council Bluffs. The story also mentioned how Omaha and the rival Lincoln Stars might talk about playing a game outdoors in the next couple of years, borrowing a successful page from the NHL’s book.

The Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks played at Wrigley Field on New Year’s Day, which was a smashing success. Last season, the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins played at Ralph Wilson Stadium, home of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.

So how about the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and Waterloo Black Hawks agreeing to play a game or two outside? Maybe play one game here at Memorial Stadium next season and one at Waterloo’s Municipal Stadium the following season?

It would take a lot of work, but you would think it would generate tremendous buzz in both communities, help the sport of hockey and the USHL. You could donate most of the ticket proceeds from the game to flood relief in C.R. and Waterloo.

What do you all think? Good idea or pipedream? The possibilities have me kind of excited.

Word is the United States Hockey League is considering adding USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program for next season. The last time the U-18 team played in the league was the 2000-01 season. It is playing a combined collegiate, international, North American Hockey League schedule this season.

A once frosty relationship between the USNTDP and USHL has apparently warmed in the last couple of years. The groups recruit many of the same kids, which has led to past animosity. The USHL sees adding the USNTDP as an opportunity to get its players more heavily scouted by the NHL and Division I colleges.

First-year USHL Commissioner Ellis “Skip” Prince told the Lincoln Journal-Star last week that his eventual goal is an 18-team league. It now has 12 teams.

“There could be at least one team as early as next year,” Prince told the Journal-Star. “Obviously, I can’t talk about it at this time, but we have a board of directors meeting at the all-star game where that will be discussed. There are several teams and groups that have applied for participation as early as next year.”

By the way, Michigan State player Corey Tropp has decided not to join the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede and will return to East Lansing. He and MSU teammate Andrew Conboy were suspended for the rest of the season after an ugly on-ice incident in which Michigan’s Steve Kampfer (a former USHLer, like Tropp and Conboy) was injured.

Tropp swung his stick at Kampfer as he lay on the ice, hitting him in the neck.